


Forest

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:16:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7794244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of how the Dews were cursed and the Forgotten Fields became what they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forest

Aideen heard the scream from where she sat leaning against the Ancient Tree in Firgrove. The wailing that arose was even louder, amplified by the soul that resided within the tree. She felt it, too, just as she felt it whenever one of her Ancients fell or was injured.

“Wings,” she said, touching her horse’s back. The animal awoke and looked sleepily at his mistress, but quickly woke up when he sensed her anger. She would never take it out on him, of course, but he still came to attention because her anger was a wondrous thing to behold.

Quickly, they used one of the cliffs in the Firgrove mountains as a launching point and flew across the island to the place where the human king had made his home. It only took minutes on wings of marble that could twist time and space at will, and then they arrived in the hall where the king always saw his petitioners.

“Ma’am, you cannot ride your hrose in here,” said a knight, but he fell silent when he saw the unbridled fury in the rider’s face.

“Jarl!” she called, not even dismounting. Her horse walked forward for her, snorting and glaring menacingly at him.

“Aideen. It has been a long time,” said Jon Jarl, the self-appointed king of the land. Aideen’s horse neighed, but not in a friendly way. The man looked aged, but no less powerful for it. His grey hairs looked more like steel, not to mention his steely eyes.

“What have you done?” asked Aideen, glaring at him. “In your conquest for power, for glory, you cut down the Ancient Tree!” Her eyes flashed, and thunder rumbled overhead. Her hands were shaking.

“Yes, we needed to cut down trees for our ships and stables,” said Jon. “You know well that progress requires sacrifice, Aideen.”

“Yes, I do, but we had a deal,” said Aideen. “You could cut down a forest but you were not to harm my trees.”

“Oh, but it was only the one, Aideen, there are many more of your Ancient Trees. There was even one nearby,” said Jon.

“The trees are sentient, Jon!” Aideen snapped at him. “Can’t you hear her wailing?” She gestured out in the direction of what had once been a great forest. “You killed her husband!”

“But it’s only a tree,” said Jon. “And that tree will make great wood for our army, it has wonderful properties that-“

“No!” Aideen’s horse strode forward so that she could look down on the king. “The war with the fairies I could accept. Building this ugly fort, that is fine too. But you were never to hurt my trees, Jarl. You promised.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Jon. “You cannot kill me, then these people would have no guidance. You do not know how to lead.”

“I will not kill you, Jon, no matter how much you have hurt me,” said Aideen. “But! I cannot allow this crime to go unpunished. Who was in charge of the people who cut down my tree?”

“Donald Dew,” said Jon. “But Aideen, please…”

“Then I curse this man Dew’s family. All of their crops will fail. Their stock will die. Anything that they harvest will be nothing but poison. No matter where they go, only death and disease will follow them. Their young will be more prone to accidents and early death. As for the fields… they will remain barren. Forever. Nothing will grow there but grass, bushes, trees, and other naturally-occuring plants. Let it be so.” Aideen closed her eyes, almost regretfully, as her magic rippled out across the land. A single tear slipped down her cheek, but not for what she had done.

In the distance, the Ancient Tree still wailed. She would for many centuries, Aideen knew. And Aideen would mourn with her.


End file.
